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Mad Professor's Shooting From the Don'ts - Part VII- continued Setting
An Easier-to-7-Out Point Is
it possible for a Darkside-shooter to consistently establish an easier-to-7-Out
PL-Point like the 4 or 10 instead of a tougher-to-avoid box-number like the 6 or 8? Yes
it is. When
you look at the Random Dice Distribution chart, youll see that there are five ways
to throw a 6 or 8, four ways to throw a 5 or 9, and three ways to throw a 4 or 10. On
the face of it then, it should be easier (even for a random-roller) to throw a 7-Out
winner if the PL-Point is a 4 or 10 as opposed to lets say a 6 or 8. For
a Precision-Shooter, using a Come-Out dice-set that favors the 4 or 10, and then
switching to a 7-Dominant set (that concurrently has the lowest occurrence of that current
PL-Point); means that your chances of predictable success increases considerably. Heres
the problem though
There
are two sets that favor the 4 and 10 equally. Ø The
Parallel-Sixes (P-6) set has two on-axis 4s as well as two on-axis 10s. However, it also has four o/a 7s which kind
of offsets your Darkside Come-Out intentions. Further
complicating that is the fact that the P-6 set only holds two on-axis Horn-outcomes (just
one 2 and one 12) that further frustrates any notion of making some pre-Point Horn-bet
profit (or even-money C-O DP-line wins). Ø The
other 4 and 10 favorable Come-Out dice-set is the Mini-V (V-2) arrangement. Its combined on-axis offerings of four possible 4
or 10 PL-establishing outcomes far outpace (by 2-to-1) the o/a occurrence of the 7. For a Darkside shooter thats a good thing. However, just like the P-6 set, the V-2
dice-arrangement has an equally small number of even lower-paying Horn-number appearances
(just one 3 and one 11). Clearly, there is a
substantial trade-off when you are try to establish a hard-to-repeat PL-Point versus
trying to use the Come-Out cycle as its own profit-center. Tougher-to-Repeat,
Easier-to-Beat PL-Points
As
you can see from the above discussion, you often have to make a trade-off between trying
to make immediate Come-Out profit (with lets say the S-6 set with only one each
on-axis 4 and 10, but two 3s and two 11s plus one each of the 2 and 12) versus
trying to establish an easy-to-beat PL-Point. When
you take a simplified approach to this game, it often means that you have to make a
compromise between the two. Now obviously
there are other C-O strategies like using the S-6 set with a Lay-bet against the 5 and/or
9; or using that same set for a higher-risk Across-the Board working-on-the-Come-Out
(WOTCO) Lay-bet against all of the box-numbers. However,
for this discussion were focusing on the single aspect of trying to establish either
of the two hardest-to-repeat box-numbers to achieve our PL-Point-defeating Darkside goals. There
are two main reasons why Ill occasionally opt for this tougher-to-repeat,
easier-to-defeat approach instead of using my usual Come-Out cycle Game
Within a Game World-bet profit-generator.
Ø If
for some reason Im receiving an abnormal amount of attention from the Pit or
Ive already taken considerable money off of the table (during the same shift with
the same crew) by using high-visibility, high-action World or Horn-bet raiding; then
Ill often choose to forego my usual Horn or World C-O progression (see previous
articles in this series for an in-depth discussion of exactly how I do that); and opt
instead to go about setting a lower-profile tough-to-repeat PL-Point. My reasoning is that if there isnt a lot of
piled-to-the-sky middle-of-the-table Prop-action in a place that sweats the money or one
where Ive already taken a huge chunk of Prop-action cash from; then the Pit-monkeys
have less reason to scrutinize the game or my shooting. Ø The
other reason Ill eschew that type of Prop-action is simply if it isnt working,
or it isnt working well enough to justify the outlay. To my way of thinking, if a bet isnt pulling
its own weight and contributing to the bottom-line of MY earnings; then it shouldnt
be made. Im not in the casino to
contribute to THEIR bottom-line; Im in it to improve MINE! In
either case, if Im trying to establish either the 4 or 10 as my
tougher-to-repeat/easier-to-beat PL-Point; then my choice of weapon is the V-2 (mini-V)
set. Once
any Point is established, I then switch over to using a 7-rich set
(like the S-6, P-6 or All-7s set) to snipe out the 7-Out Line-away call. Which one of the
7-rich sets that I choose to try to beat the PL-Point
will be determined by the actual Point-number itself. Ø If
the Passline-Point is the 4 or 10, then like I mentioned a moment ago, Ill use the
S-6 to shoot for the 7-Out (although the All-7 1/6-1/6 set will also suffice). Ø If
the Passline-Point is the 5 or 9, then I definitely use the S-6 set since its on-axis
results preclude both of those numbers entirely. Ø If
the Passline-Point is either a 6 or 8, then I always use the Parallel-Sixes (5/5-5/2) set
since it has four on-axis 7s, but only one each of the 6 and 8. A
Rarer Species of Bird
If
my Precision-Shooting is really grooved in on a semi-empty table, then Ill
actually use a somewhat different C-O and Point-cycle approach. I
will sometimes use the V-3 set for my Come-Out rolls and actually try to establish
a primary-face 6 or 8 as my DP-Point. Since
the DP-Odds on a 6 or 8 pay much better (5:6) than it does on a 4 or 10 (1:2) or even a 5
or 9 (2:3); then the true value of shooting from the Donts can really shine through. If
you normally dont use any Odds to back up your flat DP wager; then obviously
youll probably want to stick to establishing as many hard-to-repeat PL-Points like 4
and 10 as possible and avoid setting tougher-to-beat PL-Points like 6 and 8. However,
if your shooting skill justifies it and your bankroll can amply afford it; then laying
Odds on your validated-skill DP-Points (no matter which number it is) makes a strong and
compelling argument. Using Odds to back up
your skill-established DP-Points can actually multiply and leverage your
Precision-Shooting earnings well beyond anything that even higher-skilled shooting
combined with strictly flat-betting ever could. Again,
your current shooting-skills and bankroll limitations should dictate the type and
size of the wagers you make. If
my shooting is grooved in and I am fortunate enough to establish the 6 or 8 as my
PL-Point; then for my anti-Point-cycle shooting, Ill employ the rarely used
Parallel-Sixes (P-6) set because, as I mentioned a moment ago, it only has one each of the
on-axis 6 and 8, but four o/a 7s
so my prospects for an early-out are pretty
darn good. When you add in the benefit of a
higher-ratio (5:6) Odds payout, the validity of this approach comes through loud and
clear
and profitable. Well
explore the whole Odds/no Odds argument a little further in a moment; but
first let me catch you up with my second session at Seneca Allegany where I applied this
approach with quite a bit of success. Second
Session, Second Table
When
I returned to the dice pit, the second table was open at the $10 level
and with only
two other players at it. Youll
recall how I mentioned in Part Six of this series that the Pit-meisters
at Seneca Niagara were reluctant to raise the table-minimum much past $10 or $15 except
for the busiest of times
well, that certainly does not hold true for Seneca
Allegheny. In fact, its often just the
opposite at this place. Theyll often
test the market to see if a $25 table will hold its own even when the $5 table isnt
completely filled. With
only two other players to share the $10 table with, the dice were cycling back incredibly
quickly. That duos Do-side shooting was
nothing short of dismal. Their scowls and
growls kept any potential new players from joining in, which was just fine with me. After the fourth go-round of seeing me establish a
Point and then knock it out a roll or two or three (or even SIX) later; they
decided to lay off of any betting whatsoever when I was shooting. However they certainly waded right back in with
both cash-spewing barrels blazing on their own shooting despite their continuing
Point-then-Out performances. Hell, I was
starting to think that they were far better at unintentionally 7ing-Out than
I was with intentionally doing it. They
were certainly far quicker in doing it than I occasionally was, though while I was at the
table, I suppressed an internal smile at the irony of that observation. It
took four more rounds of the dice before both of those guys tapped out their bankrolls
completely. They left shaking their heads in
disbelief, while the weight of having to do all the 7-Out heavy lifting was left entirely
to me. The
mood of the crew lightened considerably after that.
The stickman kindly cooperated when I asked him to call the 7-Outs as loudly
as reasonably possible to keep any potential interlopers and inquisitive players safely
docked at the other table. Alleganys
Tables, Players, and Dice
Ø Both
of Seneca Alleganys two 12-foot tables are neutral-rolling, non-bouncy layouts that
offer a good-to-very-good prospect of keeping the dice rolling true and on-axis. Obviously this is predicated on a
square-to-the-backwall release and a low-energy (minimal rebound) toss. Ø I've
noticed that the corner radius of each table is quite large, which means the
"curve" of the corner doesn't completely straighten out until it is a good
8-to-10 inches away from the sidewall. As a result, you may have to be a little more
careful about where you aim the dice in order to get a "square" hit against the
backwall. For example, if you traditionally
use the Passline as your alignment tool for a straight throw; then on these tables it will
see the dice hitting the backwall while it is still transitioning out of the sidewall
curve. Ø For
the SL or SR shooter, that means that the middle of the Don't Pass Line is the
nearest-to-the-sidewall rolling-lane that will see the dice track straight into a flat
portion of the backwall. Any closer than that to the sidewall, and the dice track into the
still-curved transition section. Ø The
dealers at Allegany are rapidly getting better as far as their chipping-skills are
concerned. Most of them have only been at it since this place opened in May of 2004, and
though they still have a ways to go in that department, their people-skills make up for
quite a few of their other shortcomings. Ø The
players here are fairly knowledgeable about the game and the proper payoffs, but mostly
restrict their game to the usual PL-bet backed up with less-than-full Odds and a few Come
and/or Place-bets. An infinitesimally small
number of players ever venture over to the Darkside even when the table is trending colder
than a Buffalo winter. Ø One
thing that you may have to slightly adjust your game to is the fact that the dice they use
here are of the slightly larger 13/16ths size rather than the more
conventional 3/4" variety. Session
Three
I
had a comped dinner at the Thunder Mountain Buffet which is reminiscent of the old Lone
Mountain Buffet at LVs Sante Fe Casino (about three renovations ago). The food quality is outstanding for what is
decidedly a non-typical gaming-resort. Vegetarians
and carnivores alike will be more than happy with this fine spread. For
my third and final session of Day One they raised the table limits on the former $5 layout
to $15, while my Session Two $10 table was now standing empty at $25. The $15 one had a few openings, but the
prospect of having the $25 layout all to myself was irresistible. Id
love to report that my Come-Out cycle back-to-back-to-back Horn-hits got back on
track
but that was nowhere near the case. Not
deterred, I stuck with the tougher-to-repeat, easier-to-defeat approach of
intentionally setting (or at least TRYING to set) the 4 or 10 as my anti-PL-Point. Frankly
though, I wasnt always successful in establishing the much-vaunted 4 or 10 as my
Point. I used the Mini-V (V-2) as my C-O set
which has enough other on-axis alternative outcomes with two Across-the-Board appearances
of not only the 4 and 10, but also two each of the 5, 6, 8, and 9 (not to mention two
DP-defeating C-O 7s) as well as a single on-axis appearance of both the 3 and 11, to
make the Point-establishing exercise somewhat interesting. What
was even more interesting was that the dice were in such total synch with the way I was
shooting during Session Three that I was actually on the verge of getting too anxious
to get the dice right back into my hands no matter how fast the base-dealer made my
Line-away payouts. The
TGS and box-lady consented when I asked that the dice-bowl not be dumped after each and
every 7-Out. Like I said, the dice were
coming back as fast as I wanted and I was shooting on total auto-pilot for a good 50
minutes. After
three or four straight Point-then-Out hands, Id intentionally take a fifteen or
twenty-second drink-break
and then get right back to it. It was also the point where I increased the base
amount of my DP wager. I had started with $25
on the line (backed with full Odds), but after each string of three or four wins, I
increased it by another $25 unit. I continued
this method of flat-bet escalation along with the fullest allowable Odds for that entire
solo session. About
fifteen minutes into this four-to-six rolls a minute tossfest, I was aware that my
heart-rate was a bit higher than normal, but no more than climbing three or four flights
of stairs would do. My breathing-rate was
normal and there wasnt even a whiff of anxiety or stress in my brain (unless you
include that almost insatiable feeling of in-the-groove eagerness), so I kept up what some
might consider a fevered dice-tossing pace. I
wasnt paying any mind to perfectly organizing my chip-rail or seeing exactly how far
ahead I was during the early part of this session. I
knew instinctively that my Odds-generated revenue was climbing by about $100 per hand (at
the $25 base-bet level), and double that when I increased my flat DP line-wager to
$50
and then triple that amount when I ratcheted it up to $75 and so on. I
dont actually know how many times I threw the dice during that session, but at four
to six rolls per minute and a 50-minute run, I figure it was probably in the 200 to
250-roll-range inclusive of those mini beverage-break/ratchet-up-my-flat-bet breathers. I
was into my fifth hand at the $275 flat-DP level when a couple of new players came up to
the table and bought in. I had been having a
subconscious discussion with myself about whether or not I should ask the TGS to raise the
table limit to $50 in order to keep any fresh players at bay. I knew peripherally that the nearby $15 table was
now full and there were at least of couple of players waiting for any vacated spots to
open up at that one, but the new players arrival put an end to that self-debate. The
new players at my table actually provided a bit of a respite for me. Though I was into an unbelievably sustained groove
where I was making anywhere from four, five or six tosses per minute, I knew it was a good
idea to let my firing-on-all-sixteen-cylinders neurons cool down a degree or two. While the other players were shooting, the
stick-guy was carrying on a solo discourse about how he wished he could shoot like
that
in what he described in detail as a totally unconscious the world could
be crashing down without being bothered by it dice-shooting state of mind
soliloquy. I complimented him on his
philosophical take on the whole thing. Before
I could make any obscure Faustian references that would give him pause to reconsider his
viewpoint, the dice had come full circle back to me.
I threw one more hand that actually lasted for eight post-C-O rolls before I
was able to finally summon the required 7. I
knew that the automaton groove that I had been in was no longer beckonable at that moment. After my line-bet and Odds were paid off, I called
it a night. Betting
More to Win Less
The
argument over whether you should lay Odds to back up a Dont Pass bet is often
discussed, but its hardly ever talked about in the advantage-players
Precision-Shooting context. Frankly,
when it comes to the question of whether or not you should or shouldnt be laying
Odds on a random-rollers DP-Point
my reply is that the less money you bet on
random-rollers
the more money youll have left over to bet on your own
advantage-shooting. Now
please dont misconstrue that as an endorsement for the DP without Odds
proponents. Rather, its to indicate
that any bets that you make on any random-rollers would be better invested
on your own validated-edge dice-shooting. For
the talented dice-influencer, free-Odds that are used to back up your flat DP wager can
actually leverage and multiply your Precision-Shooting skills just as much as it can for a
Rightsider with equal skills. If
you have the edge; then LAY THE ODDS. If
you dont have the edge; then you are merely gambling. Exit
Stage
Right
I
was planning to make my Seneca Allegany sortie a two or possibly even three-day event,
unfortunately I cut it short to attend to some much more urgent commitments. Though I dont play at this house as often as
their excellent tables justify, I wouldnt hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking
for decent, neutral-rolling 12-footers with slightly over-sized 13/16thsized
dice. Obviously the whole Odds or no Odds discussion, especially from a Precision-Shooters perspective, merits a little more discussion. Well pick this up in the next installment |
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